How great is Friday Night Lights?

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Maybe best sports movie ever (unless you count Slap Shot. Best DRAMATIC sports movie ever, then). Finally broke down and bought the DVD. Psyched!

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Thursday, 24 February 2005 01:56 (twenty years ago)

I got to watch this with my dad who's from Midland, TX and it was something to treasure. Plus, P.E.-heavy soundtrack??? SWOON.

― Matt Chesnut, Thursday, 24 February 2005 02:00 (twenty years ago)

it's great, but dude! hoosiers! bull durham! mighty ducks! karate kid!

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Thursday, 24 February 2005 02:01 (twenty years ago)

I can't wait to see this, I really should go rent it right now.

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 24 February 2005 02:01 (twenty years ago)

go for it! it's great.

xpost well, you can't include FIGHTING movies, dude. Those are a genre unto themselves.

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Thursday, 24 February 2005 02:02 (twenty years ago)

I still need to see it, but I know that Longhorn/Lion WR Roy Williams has a cameo.

Bull Durham is the greatest sports movie of all time, methinks.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 24 February 2005 02:42 (twenty years ago)

Bull Durham is the greatest chick movie of all time. Bad News Bears is the greatest sports movie.

(Haven't seen FNL yet.)

― Tep (ktepi), Thursday, 24 February 2005 02:44 (twenty years ago)

Bull Durham is a total sausagefest!

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 24 February 2005 02:46 (twenty years ago)

great great movie. there is a subtlety to it that is really wonderful. the west texas washed out cinematography is perfect. it's quite a sight to see a football stadium lighted up surrounded by utter desert desolation--underscoring a thematic point and a beautiful image to boot.

― ryan (ryan), Thursday, 24 February 2005 02:48 (twenty years ago)

Has anyone read the book? Just curious. I read it before I saw the movie and I think that was a mistake, because the movie definitely paled in comparison. The book's much more of a social history of the town, the people, the culture of high school football..way more meat on the bones. The movie felt like it just skimmed off the football parts, and they did some interesting things with the characters that I didn't expect. I loved the cinematography, and i thought Lucas Black was outstanding...but I just felt it was missing a little something. But I'd definitely recommend the book to anyone who's curious. Well worth the read.

― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 24 February 2005 03:23 (twenty years ago)

It's certainly not a bad movie, but I was disappointed after all the "subverting sports movie cliches" reviews. I mean, why the need for a moral victory taken straight from the "Rocky" script? Maybe I should take issue with the way the championship game actually hapened than the filmmakers, but I thought it would have been nice for them to get plastered in Houston. If it really does mean that much, if that one game is so important for those kids' lifelong image of themselves, then why is it so outrageous that the boosters and parents and grandparents take their performances on the field so seriously? I never got a sense of Thornton's motivation, in the midst of such all-around appalling circumstances -- economic, cultural, academic and athletic.

― mte22, Thursday, 24 February 2005 03:51 (twenty years ago)

i dont think it is considered "outrageous"--in fact i think the film goes to great lengths to justify the importance they place on football while not shying away from the ugliness that is bound to cause. in fact, one thing i found so nice about the movie was the matter-of-fact way most of the uglier things are handled: racism, corrupt town big wigs, economic misery. all of this barely passed over, hinted at even, in a way that avoids making a simplistic social commentary (that is, "look at those idiot racist hicks and their stupid obsessions").

their moral victory isnt anything to do with the game itself. they lose. there's no getting around it. they fail. (here, though, is the greatest hollywood pressure on the film.) what they do seem to reconcile themselves too, and this seems to be implied in the "where are they now" part at the end, is their ordinary, non-heroic lives.

― ryan (ryan), Thursday, 24 February 2005 04:09 (twenty years ago)

so i dont think it subverts cliches so much as use them to maximum effect (finding the power of the cliche in the first place). this stuff DOES happen all the time.

― ryan (ryan), Thursday, 24 February 2005 04:12 (twenty years ago)

Thanks, Ryan. I can definitely see it like that. I do think the town's reaction to the losing streak was downright scary, and even though Tim McGraw's character earns some sympathy at the end, I still feel comfortable describing him as "outrageous."

― mte22 (mte22), Thursday, 24 February 2005 04:27 (twenty years ago)

its so awesome! everything is done just right.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Thursday, 24 February 2005 04:50 (twenty years ago)

EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY INNIT

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 24 February 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

I was shocked at how interested I ended up being in Friday Night Lights once I realized that the movie was shot and edited in the style of a football broadcast. Then I went home and read the IMDB trivia bit about how they cut real game footage into the staged stuff and my inner postmodernist freaked out and partied.

And the great sports movie is either Tokyo Olympiad or BASEketball.

― James.Cobo (jamescobo), Thursday, 24 February 2005 16:10 (twenty years ago)

The Sandlot rules all.

― Je4nne ƒury (Jeanne Fury), Thursday, 24 February 2005 16:14 (twenty years ago)

I thought it was a pretty good movie. I bought the book for my dad, who grew up in West Texas, and played high school football. I think he was a little gunshy about reading it, because he spent half his life trying to get away from all of that.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 25 February 2005 02:29 (twenty years ago)

The author of the book is much more direct in his assumptions, whereas the movie shies well away from any kind of judgement. Either stance has its problems. Apparently after the book was written, the author was not allowed to return to Odessa. He was supposed to do a book signing, and they refused to let him come back for it. The townsfolk were VERY unhappy with the way they were portrayed...the author says it's because they say what they think & his reportage what they said...but methinks it has a lot more to do with the conclusions he drew, based on the things they said.

― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 25 February 2005 03:06 (twenty years ago)

Bull Durham is close to the greatest sports movie, but the Costner-Sarandon ending is terrible, the soft-focus lovemaking and sub-Skinemax doin'-it music almost ruin everything that came before.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Friday, 25 February 2005 05:28 (twenty years ago)

I was pretty disappointed by this movie, but it's certainly one of the best american football movies ever made, up there with north dallas forty and the longest yard.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Friday, 25 February 2005 05:42 (twenty years ago)

i have recently decided to ban from my personal viewing any of the following: inspirational sports movies, retarded person overcoming obstacles movies, animated movies which make me cry (such as ice age), and anything with colin ferrel in it. so i haven't seen it, but it smacks of RUDY to me.

― Emilymv (Emilymv), Friday, 25 February 2005 22:16 (twenty years ago)

the Costner-Sarandon ending is terrible, the soft-focus lovemaking and sub-Skinemax doin'-it music almost ruin everything that came before

= chick movie! (Well, that and the whole emphasis on the transformative powers of Susan Sarandon's magic pussy.) (Like in that chick movie Thelma & the Magic Pussy.)

There's a lot that's good about it, it just never felt like a sports movie to me so much as a carefully designed date movie.

― Tep (ktepi), Friday, 25 February 2005 22:19 (twenty years ago)

The Hustler is the greatest sports movie ever made and one of the half-dozen greatest films ever made. Also Friday Night Lights football sequences look fucking ridiculous. They are about as realistic looking as Any Given Sunday.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 25 February 2005 22:22 (twenty years ago)

i once knew a girl with a magic pussy. every guy who ever dated her became disturbingly obsessed and she always dumped them, crushing their souls for years to come. it was amazing to witness. anyway, she moved when she got into med school, so i am in the dark as to the potency of her pussy nowadays.

― Emilymv (Emilymv), Friday, 25 February 2005 22:22 (twenty years ago)

Maybe it was magic boobs?

mmm... boobs.

― Fish fingers all in a line (kenan), Friday, 25 February 2005 22:40 (twenty years ago)

Friday Night Lights is rather un-Rudy in the football leads to nothing greater, no salvation or adoration and serves no purpose.

It was very good (and I thought the football scenes were fine), but not great. It lacked focus and never quited added up to enough, the best parts were little abstracts - three of the stars shooting skeet in the middle of nowhere, the shots of the empty locker room with equipment set out. Billy Bob was good as always.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Friday, 25 February 2005 22:40 (twenty years ago)

one year passes...

Am I the only one watching the TV show? I'm really enjoying it. Probably my favourite new show of the season, although I know that really isn't saying very much.

― The Ultimate Conclusion (lokar), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 21:21 (eighteen years ago)

I love it. I don't think it'll be back next season, but I look forward to it every week and I'll definitely be picking up the DVDs.

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 22:18 (eighteen years ago)

This is my favorite show of the year. If it doesn't come back next year I will cry. EW did a nice spread on them this week. Love Coach Taylor. Want to see the movie (hear the mom is the same in that) and read the book. Strong hearts clear minds can't lose, is that it?

― Mary (Mary), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 22:37 (eighteen years ago)

I bought the movie purely because of the show -- I'd always meant to see it, just hadn't got to it yet -- still haven't, come to think of it. I know NBC wants to keep it because the critics all love it, but it just doesn't seem to be finding an audience. Maybe people don't want a sports show.

The big surprise for me is ... Connie Britton? from Spin City ... being so good in this. And the fact that I'm caring about characters I didn't think I'd care about -- Lila especially (Matt Saracen's easy to care about, that didn't surprise me).

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 22:43 (eighteen years ago)

"Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose"

Crucifictorius!

I really can't see how it will come back for another season. Real shame.

― The Ultimate Conclusion (lokar), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 22:44 (eighteen years ago)

the book is magnificent. read it, mary!

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 22:46 (eighteen years ago)

Yes on the book as well. Great read at the time; probably also a brilliant period piece now.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 22:48 (eighteen years ago)

The mommy lady was on Spin City, playing a schmary role? I love her and I love their relationship and I love their relationship with their daughter and I love Matt Saracen he is adorable.

― Mary (Mary), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 22:56 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah, I don't remember what her character did, but it was a typical sitcom role -- I never really felt one way or the other about her. But on FNL, man -- the episode where she has to organize the party on short notice and keeps chewing him out under the table, she's just great. And all her scenes with post-scandal Lila.

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 23:10 (eighteen years ago)

This show is the best thing on television right now. I really hope it comes back for a second season. Then again, I said the same thing about Veronica Mars, and now I really really wish that had ended after season 1.

― Melissa W (Melissa W), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 23:14 (eighteen years ago)

i should watch the show.

i watched this again (on american thanksgiving!) and it totally held up. great great movie.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 23:34 (eighteen years ago)

The show could use more older Mogwai.

The football games have all fallen into the same general pattern: Panthers suck early, rally for late win or come close to winning.

Mel (and this goes for all of you haters), I understand that you're hurt/disappointed by one of your fave shows diminishing in quality (as you see it), but can you suffer with as much stoic grace and quiet dignity as I do when my favorite shows JTS?

― c(,,c) (Leee), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 23:38 (eighteen years ago)

I never knew you loved Full House that much.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 23:39 (eighteen years ago)

I still think the football sequences in this movie looked totally stupid.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 23:45 (eighteen years ago)

This thread needs pictures.

http://ffmedia.ign.com/filmforce/image/article/689/689089/24-conniebritton-diane_7a_8a_72_1140098637.jpg

― Mary (Mary), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 23:45 (eighteen years ago)

She was in 24 as well, series whatever-was-before-this-one (5, I think) being not-her-out-of-Spin-City.

Best sports movie is obviously Escape to Victory.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 25 January 2007 00:07 (eighteen years ago)

Damn, Buddy Garrity's a good villain. "I love that little girl in there...."

― Stephen X (Stephen X), Thursday, 25 January 2007 01:45 (eighteen years ago)

I like how the football scenes are emphasizing the game less and less. Yes, they are a predictable most of the time, but they've been relegating them to just being on the tv screens they're watching or merely having saracen have a bad game because his father is a dick, etc...

I'm not complaining.

"I think I told Matt Saracen to make out with our daughter in the backseat of a car" was classic.

― The Ultimate Conclusion (lokar), Thursday, 25 January 2007 04:41 (eighteen years ago)

she is gorgeous. I've not watched the show since the debut though until tonight

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 25 January 2007 05:36 (eighteen years ago)

Dale Watson!

― Stephen X (Stephen X), Thursday, 25 January 2007 15:15 (eighteen years ago)

Wait, what? Dale Watson's in this thing? (Or did I miss he was in the movie?) Either way, hells yeah.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 25 January 2007 15:18 (eighteen years ago)

It looked like him, playing at a party. Since the show seems to be shot in and around Austin, it'll be interesting to see what other local acts turn up. Gibby Haynes as washed-up old running back, please.

― Stephen X (Stephen X), Thursday, 25 January 2007 15:29 (eighteen years ago)

Skipping 12 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

This is such an awesome show. I just started season 1.

― Nathalie (stevienixed), Tuesday, 3 May 2011 15:11 (fourteen years ago)

it gets better

― impeccable suit shit stained underwear (thebingo), Tuesday, 3 May 2011 16:29 (fourteen years ago)

season 1 is the best

― mizzell, Tuesday, 3 May 2011 16:37 (fourteen years ago)

Who are all these new kids? Did Matt Saracen go to college?

― Virginia Plain, Tuesday, 3 May 2011 21:24 (fourteen years ago)

art school in chicago

― mizzell, Tuesday, 3 May 2011 21:28 (fourteen years ago)

is buddy jr on season 5 actually buddy sr's son irl? because they really look alike.

― tylerw, Tuesday, 3 May 2011 21:56 (fourteen years ago)

looked it up, i guess not. good casting, then!

― tylerw, Tuesday, 3 May 2011 21:58 (fourteen years ago)

two months pass...

I'm about to watch this because Zach Gilford was excellent in a so-so movie called Dare.

― The Edge of Gloryhole (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 3 July 2011 12:09 (fourteen years ago)

six months pass...

does this get better than the pilot? I thought it was at least ok, up until Saracen threw the out-of-nowhere gamewinning bomb, and then there was that whole trite jesus voiceover at the end.

― frogBaSeball (Hurting 2), Monday, 23 January 2012 04:33 (thirteen years ago)

YES YES YES IT DOES

― Janet Snakehole (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 23 January 2012 04:57 (thirteen years ago)

YES YOU HAVE NO IDEA ZOMG

― Johnny Fever, Monday, 23 January 2012 05:02 (thirteen years ago)

[picture us both shaking you very hard by the shoulders atm]

― Janet Snakehole (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 23 January 2012 05:04 (thirteen years ago)

Jesus VoiceOver was great.

― encarta it (Gukbe), Monday, 23 January 2012 08:38 (thirteen years ago)

one month passes...

Don't whisper yell at me.

― john. a resident of chicago., Thursday, 23 February 2012 03:12 (thirteen years ago)

I loved Coach and his wife.

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 23 February 2012 03:14 (thirteen years ago)

I know it's not representative of the show as a whole but the "Good friends livin' large in Texas!" scene in the first episode always stops me cold from continuing on.

― Kiarostami bag (milo z), Thursday, 23 February 2012 03:15 (thirteen years ago)

man, I was wrong about the movie seven years ago. Thinking about FNL really makes me want to do a sports movie ballot poll.

― Kiarostami bag (milo z), Thursday, 23 February 2012 03:15 (thirteen years ago)

Coach and Tammy are my favorite tv couple. And damn I wish I could be her when she's being crazy-super-polite when people are pissing her right off. It's a beautiful thing.

― Janet Snakehole (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 23 February 2012 03:20 (thirteen years ago)

When she barges into the booster meeting and gives Joe McCoy the whatfour all while doing her sing-songy Southern politesse is just...how did Connie Britton not win an Emmy? Or five?

― all the other twinks with their fucked up dicks (billy), Friday, 24 February 2012 05:38 (thirteen years ago)

She shoulda got one for every season. Undeniably great.

― Janet Snakehole (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 24 February 2012 05:40 (thirteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vihYkEAQ_DY

― Janet Snakehole (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 24 February 2012 05:42 (thirteen years ago)

(All the yall's Tami Taylor uttered in FNL) :D

― Janet Snakehole (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 24 February 2012 05:42 (thirteen years ago)

one year passes...

http://jonaspeterson.com/wedding/wedding-zach-kiele-napa-california/

QB2 got married, and Landry played guitar.

― polyphonic, Wednesday, 7 August 2013 20:53 (twelve years ago)

not hearing much about this movie they were claiming was absolutely going to happen a year ago anymore. honestly I don't think one is necessary at all

― akm, Wednesday, 7 August 2013 21:32 (twelve years ago)

one year passes...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/act-four/wp/2014/08/27/friday-night-lights-and-what-it-means-to-be-a-man/

But unlike the anti-heroes who dominate so many cable dramas or the action heroes who shoot their ways through big screen after big screen, the good boys and men of “Friday Night Lights” get over these behaviors. Their need to prove their masculinity is the thing of a moment, or at worst, something they conquer after considerable trouble.

― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 20:03 (eleven years ago)

four years pass...

Amazing that Peter Berg's dorky ass managed to make a movie this good.

― Greta Van Show Feets BB (milo z), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 01:20 (six years ago)

post-FNL output
2007 The Kingdom Yes No No
2008 Hancock Yes No No
2010 The Losers No Yes No
2012 Battleship[23] Yes No Yes
2013 Lone Survivor Yes Yes Yes
2016 Deepwater Horizon Yes No No
Patriots Day Yes Yes No
2018 Mile 22 Yes No Yes
2019 Wonderland

+ BALLERS

― Greta Van Show Feets BB (milo z), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 01:21 (six years ago)

Book it's based on written by Berg's cousin, maybe that made him try harder?

― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 7 August 2019 02:02 (six years ago)

I'm such a fan of the show, I've always been reluctant to watch the movie. I have it...I guess I should.

― clemenza, Wednesday, 7 August 2019 12:45 (six years ago)

smdh at dismissing buzz bissinger as merely 'berg's cousin' when he's... so much more that that

https://proxy.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.N5xAIklixugozmFMSkMjrQHaE6%26pid%3DApi&f=1

― Criss Angel Raw: The Mindfreak Unplugged (bizarro gazzara), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 12:52 (six years ago)

he has his own thread ffs!

buzz bissingers gucci addiction

― Criss Angel Raw: The Mindfreak Unplugged (bizarro gazzara), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 12:53 (six years ago)

Thinking about FNL really makes me want to do a sports movie ballot poll.
― Kiarostami bag (milo z)

You should resurrect that idea.

― clemenza, Wednesday, 7 August 2019 12:56 (six years ago)

I love the show so much. TIM RIGGINS!

I sometimes pretend that the coach's daughter became Angel Olsen.

― Yerac, Wednesday, 7 August 2019 13:08 (six years ago)

I've always had a crush on Zach Gilford.

― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 13:10 (six years ago)

it's kinda criminal that taylor kitsch didn't become a huge star

― Criss Angel Raw: The Mindfreak Unplugged (bizarro gazzara), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 13:12 (six years ago)

xpost Wasn't dismissing him! just saying Peter Berg had extra incentive to do a good job.

― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 7 August 2019 13:29 (six years ago)

I'm such a fan of the show, I've always been reluctant to watch the movie. I have it...I guess I should.

I watched the movie after becoming a fan of the show. It's not exactly memorable aside from how under-used Connie Britton is (she's Mrs. Coach in the movie too, I think).

― Coelacanth Green (Leee), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 20:34 (six years ago)

i watched the movie too. The show is far better.

― Yerac, Wednesday, 7 August 2019 20:36 (six years ago)

Highly recommend What Carter Lost, the 30 For 30 about the irl opponents from the FNL film.

― frustration and wonky passion (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 20:38 (six years ago)

I like how Landry became Mr Kirsten Dunst.

― Yerac, Wednesday, 7 August 2019 20:40 (six years ago)

...and TODD!

― frustration and wonky passion (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 20:42 (six years ago)

three weeks pass...

Unless season 5 is mind blowing, this really peaked with season 1. Season 4 is worse than Season 2's soap opera shenanigans.

― Greta Van Show Feets BB (milo z), Wednesday, 28 August 2019 04:49 (six years ago)

whoa season 4 is good! The Son is one of my fav episodes of any show.

― big city slam (Spottie), Wednesday, 28 August 2019 07:19 (six years ago)

Took a while to recognize Minka Kelly as Dove in the (Teen) Titans series.

― the body of a spider... (scampering alpaca), Wednesday, 28 August 2019 13:48 (six years ago)

spottie otm

― american bradass (BradNelson), Wednesday, 28 August 2019 13:51 (six years ago)

It's been a while, but I know Season 1 wasn't my favourite, because I thought it took half that season for the show to find the right tone--as I posted somewhere above, I found the first few episodes were too grim and too much shot in close-up. I think I liked/loved the whole run after that to one degree or another.

― clemenza, Wednesday, 28 August 2019 13:51 (six years ago)

god "The Son" is fuckin brutal. It's too bad Zach Gilford appears to have the world's worst agent, he should have gone onto more notable stuff than uh The Mob Doctor and Off the Map

― Simon H., Wednesday, 28 August 2019 13:54 (six years ago)

If you ever go looking from something you posted about FNL, be advised there are four different threads--three on ILX, one on I Love Football. Keep looking, you will find it.

― clemenza, Wednesday, 28 August 2019 14:07 (six years ago)

one month passes...

Finally watched the movie...I didn't think it was anywhere near as good as the show--reminded me of the first few episodes of the first season, which I didn't care for: overly grim, no light moments, too many close-ups, no nuance to the characters. Did they ever waste Connie Britton: she cuddles, waves from the stands, and gets about two lines.

― clemenza, Sunday, 27 October 2019 21:34 (six years ago)

yeah the show is light years away from the movie, in good ways.

― Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 27 October 2019 23:09 (six years ago)

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